Every living creature is called to become what it is
meant to be. The caterpillar is meant to become a
butterfly; a seed into a full grown herb, bush or tree and
a human baby into a mature person, the person “who
is fully alive, the glory of God”.
St. Irenaeus
What is development?
DEVELOPMENT refers to qualitative changes. It may be
defined as progressive series of orderly coherent changes.
What is growth?
GROWTH
manner.
refers to quantitative and development in this
What is maturity?
MATURATION is the unfolding of traits potentially present
in the individual because of his hereditary endowment.
Human Development
It is the pattern of movement or change
that begins at conception and continues
through the life span. It includes growth and
decline.
Two Approaches to Human Development
Traditional approach believes that a
person will show extensive change from
birth to adolescence, little or no change
in adulthood and decline in late old age.
Life-span approach believes that even
in adulthood, developmental change
takes place as it does during
childhood.
Characteristics of Human Development
 Development is lifelong. It does not end in adulthood. A
person will continue developing even in adulthood.
 Development is plastic. Plasticity refers to the potential for
change. Development is possible throughout life-span. No
one is too old to learn. There is no such thing as “I am too
old for that …”
 Development is contextual. Individuals are changing
beings in a changing world. Individuals respond to and act
on contexts. These contexts include the individual’s
biological make up, physical environment, cognitive
processes, historical, social and cultural contexts.
Characteristics of Human Development
 Development involves growth, maintenance and regulation.
Growth, maintenance and regulation are three goals of human
development. The goals of individuals vary among
developmental stages. For instance, as individuals reach middle
and late adulthood, concerns with growth get into the back stage
while maintenance and regulation take the center stage.
 Development is multidimensional. Development consists of
biological,
cognitive,
and
socio-emotional
dimensions.
Development as a process is complex because it is the product
of biological, cognitive and socioemotional processes.
Characteristics of Human Development
 Development is multidimensional.
1. Biological Processes. They involve changes in the individual’s
physical nature. A person will gain height and weight. He will
experience hormonal changes when he reaches the period of
puberty, and cardiovascular decline as he approaches adulthood.
a. Development is relatively orderly. A person will learn to sit,
crawl then walk before he can run. The muscular control of the trunk
and the arms comes earlier as compared to the hands and fingers.
This is the proximodistal pattern. During infancy, the greatest growth
always occurs at the top – the head – with physical growth in size,
weight and future differentiation gradually working its way down from
top to bottom (for example, neck, shoulders, middle trunk and so
on). This is the cephalo-caudal pattern.
Characteristics of Human Development
b. Development takes place gradually. A baby will not develop
into an adult in just one night. It takes years before he becomes
one. In fact, that’s the way of nature. While some changes occur
in a flash of insight, more often it takes weeks, months, or years
for a person to undergo changes that result in the display of
developmental characteristics.
2. Cognitive Processes. They involve changes in the
individual’s thought, intelligence, and language. A person
develops from mere sounds to a word becoming two words, the
two words becoming a sentence. They would move on to
memorizing a prayer, singing a song, playing a chess and
solving complex math problem.
Characteristics of Human Development
3. Socioemotional Processes. They include changes in the
individual’s relationship with other people, changes in
emotions, and changes in personality. Babies respond with a
sweet smile when affectionately touched and frowned when
displeased and even showed temper tantrum when they could
not get or do what they wanted. From aggressive children, they
may develop into a fine lady and gentleman or otherwise,
depending on a myriad of factors. They may fall in love and get
inspired for life or may end up betrayed, deserted and
desperate afterwards.
References:
Acero, Victorina, D., Evelyn S. Javier and Hirminia O. Castro. Child and
Development. Rex Book Store. Manila, Philippines, 2014.
Adolescent
Borabo, Heidi Grace, L., et al. Child and Adolescent Development: Looking at Learners at
Different Life Stages. Lolimar Publishing, Inc. Manila, Philippines, 2015.
Dizon, Priscila, B., et al. General Psychology: A Textbook for College Students. Rex Book Store.
Manila, Philippines, 2003.
Lucas, Ma. Rita, D., et al. The Child and Adolescent Learners and Learning Principles. Lolimar
Publishing, Inc. Manila, Philippines, 2018.